Presently the boys went to bed and had a social chat before going to sleep. “I wish,” said Dick, “I could be where I could look on when old Badger goes up to your room and finds the bird flown.” If Dick could have been there, he would have witnessed an extraordinary scene. CHAPTER XXIX THE BATTLE IN THE ATTIC About ten minutes after Bill Benton left his little chamber an ill-looking man, whose garb and general appearance made it clear that he was a tramp, came strolling across the fields. He had made some inquiries about the farmers in the neighborhood, and his attention was drawn to Nathan Badger as a man who was likely to keep money in the house. Some tramps are honest men, the victims of misfortune, not of vice, but Tom Tapley belonged to a less creditable class. He had served two terms in a State penitentiary without deriving any particular moral benefit from his retired life therein. His ideas on the subject of honesty were decidedly loose, and none who knew him well would have trusted him with the value of a dollar. Such was the man who approached the Badger homestead. Now it happened that Mrs. Badger and Andrew Jackson had gone to make a call. Both intended to be back by nine o’clock, as neither wished to lose the gratification of being near by when Bill Benton received his flogging. As for Mr. Badger, he was at the village as usual in the evening. Thus it will be seen that as Bill also had left the house, no one was left in charge. Tom Tapley made a careful examination of the house from the outside, and his experienced eyes discovered that it was unprotected. “Here’s luck!” he said to himself. “Now what’s to prevent my explorin’ this here shanty and makin’ off with any valuables I come across?” Two objections, however, occurred to the enterprising tramp: First, it was not likely at that time in the evening that he would be left alone long enough to gather in his booty, and, secondly, the absent occupants of the house might have money and articles of value on their persons which at present it would be impossible to secure. The front door was not locked. Mr. Tapley opened it, and, finding the coast clear, went upstairs. Continuing his explorations, he made his way to the little attic chamber usually occupied by the bound boy. “Nobody sleeps here, I expect, though the bed is rumpled,” he said to himself. “There’s two boys, I’ve heard, but it’s likely they sleep together downstairs. I guess I’ll slip into bed and get a little rest till it’s time to attend to business.” The tramp, with a sigh of enjoyment, for he had not lately slept in a bed, lay down on Bill’s hard couch. It was not long before drowsiness overcame him and he fell asleep. In the meantime the three absent members of the family came home. First Mrs. Badger and Andrew Jackson returned from their visit. “Your father isn’t home yet, Andrew,” said his mother. “I hope he will come soon, for I’m sleepy,” said Andrew.